Four early 80s classics from Johnny Mathis – presented here in a single 2CD package! Different Kinda Different is a tremendous start to the 80s for Johnny Mathis – and a set that really continues that strong shift into soul-based territory he begun in the 70s! Gene Page handles a lot of the arrangements here, and gives the whole thing that strong blend of strings and soul that he worked on other 70s classics for different artists – a perfect approach for that magnificent Mathis voice, especially when the tunes have a bit of a groove! Two of the best numbers here – "Different Kind Of Different" and "I'll Do It All For You" – are duets with Paulette McWilliams, who'd recorded on her own, but who really seems to hit her stride with Johnny, and in a way that's different than any of his other soul partners in duets. Other titles include "Never Givin Up On You", "With You I'm Born Again", "I Will Survive", "The Lights Of Rio", and "Love Without Words". Friends In Love is mature 80s work from Johnny Mathis – a set that features two duets with Dionne Warwick, plus some other nice material that shows that Johnny wasn't going to be left behind in the shadows of his older work! At some level, the approach of the 80s, and the rise of a new sort of adult contemporary scene, really helped Mathis find a new audience – especially when teaming with Dionne, who was also having a rebirth at the time! Titles include the classic duet title cut "Friends In Love", and another duet on "Got You Where I Want You" – plus other titles that include "What Do You Do With The Love", "When The Lovin Goes Out Of The Lovin", "I Remember You & Me", and "Somethin's Goin On". Special Part Of Me is a sweet 80s set from Johnny Mathis – one of those great later albums when he brought a good deal of soul into the mix! The feel here is almost more modern R&B than the vocal jazz mode that first brought Johnny fame – and it turns out that the Mathis mode is wonderful for such a setting – rich and full of feeling, and arguably better than some of his younger contemporaries on the charts! The ballads are beautiful, but there's also a few surprising midtempo numbers – and titles include a sublime remake of "Love Won't Let Me Wait", done with Deniece Williams – plus "Love Never Felt So Good", "Simple", "Priceless", "One Love", "Right Here & Now", and "Lead Me To Your Love" – plus "You're A Special Part Of Me", a duet with Angie Bofill. Live is a later live album from Johnny Mathis, and one that brings together classics, newer cuts, and a few titles he'd never sang before – all served up with a sound that shows the continuing strengths of the legendary singer! There's a variety of arrangers used on the set – including Gene Page and Michel Colombier – and titles include "Orange Colored Sky", "When A Child Is Born", "Begin The Beguine", "I Believe In Love", "Fly Away", "99 Miles From LA", and "A Certain Smile". (Vocalists, Soul) CD

The harmony vocal stylings of the Mighty Diamonds are given a New Orleans funk tinge by the production team of Allen Toussaint and Marshall Seehorn. The set includes New Orleans classics like "Get Out Of My Life Woman" and "Sneakin Sally Through The Alley", plus other nice ones like "Cat O Nine", "Coming Through", and "Back Weh Mafia". (Reggae, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly well-thought out set of tracks that is perhaps the only ever time someone at RCA did a good job with a soul reissue! The filled-to-the brim compilation features 16 tracks from the legendary New Birth Inc. collective that also included the funky combo The Nite Liters and the vocal group Love, Peace, & Happiness – all of whom recorded together under the aegis of ex-Moonglow Harvey Fuqua during his production stint at RCA in the early 70s. The combination of different groups and styles makes for a very lively batch of 70's soul and funk tracks – and the set features both classics and overlooked obscure material, all nicely remastered, and packaged with a great set of notes. Titles include "Got To Get A Knutt", "K Jee", "Comin From All Ends", "Afro Strut", "Wild Flower", "Keep On Doin It", and "I Can Understand It". CD

Fuzzy funk from some of the all-time greats – one of the key Westbound Records classics from the mighty Ohio Players! This album's got the Players working at their all-time best – a bit jazzy, with a more sophisticated undercurrent than some of their contemporaries – a righteous vibe that's light years ahead of the 45 crowd – with plenty of space on the album to try out a wide variety of ideas in their music! Junie Morrison did the arrangements for the record, and the album's a great blend of light and dark moments throughout – sometimes a sweet vocal, sometimes a heavy piano line – all wrapped up with a sense of focus, but still enough freedom to let the group do their thing! Features the incredible title cut "Ecstasy", the great instrumental "Not So Sad And Lonely", and the tracks "Do You Feel It", "Black Cat", "Sleep Talk", "Food Stamps Y'All", and "Short Change". CD

Fuzzy funk from some of the all-time greats – one of the key Westbound Records classics from the mighty Ohio Players! This album's got the Players working at their all-time best – a bit jazzy, with a more sophisticated undercurrent than some of their contemporaries – a righteous vibe that's light years ahead of the 45 crowd – with plenty of space on the album to try out a wide variety of ideas in their music! Junie Morrison did the arrangements for the record, and the album's a great blend of light and dark moments throughout – sometimes a sweet vocal, sometimes a heavy piano line – all wrapped up with a sense of focus, but still enough freedom to let the group do their thing! Features the incredible title cut "Ecstasy", the great instrumental "Not So Sad And Lonely", and the tracks "Do You Feel It", "Black Cat", "Sleep Talk", "Food Stamps Y'All", and "Short Change". LP, Vinyl record album

George Clinton and the P-Funk army in all their 70s glory – presented here in a live performance that was originally done for radio in Detroit! There's not much in the way of notes or personnel listed for the set, but there's definitely some long jamming passages on the set, which are likely served up by some of the more important musicians in the group – mixed with vocal numbers that hone in strongly on classics that include "Flashlight", "Maggot Brain", "Cosmic Slop", "Funkentelechy", and "Mothership Connection". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful mix of soul jazz, funky rhythms, and even more experimental moments – a truly tremendous effort from LA drummer Roy Porter, and the first set issued under the name of his Sound Machine group! The groove here is really unconventional – filled with unusual timings, phrasings, and changes that push it way beyond more familiar jazz funk of Prestige, Fantasy, or CTI – yet still all very much in the pocket, with a righteously soulful vibe that's incredible! The cover's inspired by Roy's son's love of motocross – and one number even features a bit of motorcycle sound effects along with the grooves! The rest of the tracks are heavier on the horns, and feature some wonderful arrangements that are filled with soul and style – always a bit edgey, and never too slick or straightforward. Titles include the classics "Funky Twitch" and "Hip City", plus "Drums for Daryl", "Ooh-La-La", and the legendary "Jessica", a really beautiful number! Comes with a great bonus 45 – the Kenny Dope remix of "Jessica", and a vocal version of the same tune! (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of those funk classics that was a funk classic even back in the days when nobody was talking about funk classics! Ripple were an obscure little group of southern players, and although they later went onto cut a disco record for Salsoul, this first album is still their most enduring legacy. The record combines a sound that's a bit Meters, a bit Average White Band – with plenty of funky guitars, choppy riffs, and kine of a white boy soul vocal sound. Includes some stone classics – like "A Funky Song" and "I Don't Know What It Is, But It Sure Is Funky" – both of which were sampled more than a few times over the years – plus "Get Off", "Ripplin", "Willie Pass The Water", and "Dance Lady Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

Four classics from this legendary Motown group – including 2 albums on CD for the first time ever! First up is What Love Has Joined Together – excellent work by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – recorded with a super-heavy vibe that's very different than his sweeter 60s work! The record has an amazingly large conception of arrangements – mostly handled by Smokey, and done in a complicated baroque harmony style that points forward towards his later Quiet Storm sound – but which isn't as laidback and compressed. Most tracks are covers, but they're redone fantastically – with better vocals than you could imagine – and titles include "What Love Has Joined Together", "My Cherie Amour", "If This World Were Mine", "This Guy's In Love", and "And I Love Her". Pocket Full Of Miracles is a great one by The Miracles! Smokey and the group are clearly pushing the envelope here – stretching out for a deeper harmony sound, moving towards some of the smoother styles they'd use a bit more in the 70s. The result is a slightly-confused album, but one with some really interesting material that gives the group a chance to experiment more with their vocal phrasing. Includes the heavy soul number "Flower Girl", plus the tracks "Who's Gonna Take The Blame", "Darling Dear", "The Reel Of Time", "Wishful Thinking", "Point It Out", and "Don't Take It So Hard". Also features a great medley of "Something" and "Something You Got". One Dozen Roses is an early 70s set from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – and a set that mixes great new material with a few older gems from the previous decade too! The new cuts are fantastic – and have Smokey and the group continuing that mellower, more laidback harmony style that really knocks it out of the park – almost as if The Miracles were trying to challenge some of the younger sweet soul acts who were coming onto the scene. Titles include the older cuts "Tears Of A Clown" and "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" – plus "I Don't Blame You At All", "That Girl", "I Love You Dear", "No Wonder Love's A Wonder", and "When Sundown Comes". Flying High Together is excellent 70s work by Smokey and crew – sort of their way of showing the emerging east coast vocal stars how much talent they still had! The record has a sweet, slightly modern sound – with an approach that hints at Smokey's later Quiet Storm sound, but maybe a bit more laidback overall – set up with really great arrangements from both David Van De Pitte and HB Barnum. Titles include a killer reading of Stevie Wonder's "We Had A Love So Strong", plus "Got To Be There", "You Ain't Livin 'Till You're Lovin", "Flying High Together", "It Will Be Alright", and a cover of "Betcha By Golly Wow". CD features bonus tracks "You've Got Me Looking Through The Eyes Of Love" and "Paper People". CD

Essential! When this one came out at the end of the 80's, it not only restored our faith in modern soul music, but it also drew the world's attention to the rich rich talents that had been bubbling under in London's mid 80's rare groove scene. The record's a classic, and most of the tracks still sound as fresh today as when they were first minted – probably because Jazzie B drew heavily upon a classic soul sound in his production style, which assured the album an instant place in the upper lineage of R&B! This very nicely repackaged "10th Anniversary" edition includes 6 bonus mixes that weren't on the original CD – for a total of 16 killer soul tracks, including "Jazzie's Groove", "Keep On Movin", "Back To Life" (in both the LP acapella and the 12" vocal versions), "Fairplay", and "Holdin' On". Great stuff, and surprisingly fresh! CD

A really massive package – one that features six full albums from Starpoint, plus 34 bonus tracks as well! The group began as a more conventional funk outfit, but by the time of these records, they'd really found a sound that was strongly their own – a way of taking older ensemble modes forward to the 80s generation, yet without losing any of the warmth and beating heart that made them so great in the first place! There's so many different elements that come into play that make these records great – including key lead vocal performances from Renee Diggs, and well-crafted production that kept things fresh from record to record. The package features loads of classics amidst the full albums within – including the cuts "It's So Delicious", "Don't Be So Serious", "Breakout", "Am I Still The One", "Let Go", "Restless", "Object Of My Desire", "He Wants My Body", "DYBO", "Another Night", "Touch Of Your Love", "Say You Will", "I Want You You Want Me", "Midnight Love", and "One Step Closer To Your Love" – and each album is expanded with bonus tracks that include all the rare single mixes issued at the time. CD

Funky uptempo vocal group soul – in that "doo wop for the clubs" kind of style that a some east coast acts were using at the time. The record was produced by Michael Zager, and it's sometimes got a bit too much focus on the grooves to showcase the harmonies properly – but there are a few nice moments on the record. Titles include "Nice Guys", "Something Funky's Going On", "Do It" – plus 70's remakes of classics like "Earth Angel" and "Yes, I'm Ready". LP, Vinyl record album

Very early work from Joe Tex – recorded way before his boogie records of the 70s, and even his country soul classics of the 60s! Yet despite the age of these sides, the Joe Tex vocal approach is very firmly in place – that raspy mode that's undeniably human, and which might be rooted in blues and gospel, but which already takes a place here with a standout mode that's completely Joe's own! Musical modes move between R&B ballads and some bolder early soul styles – and titles include "She's Mine", "My Biggest Mistake", "Get Way Back", "Right Back To My Arms", "Come In This House", "I Had To Come Back To You", "Pneumonia", "Davy You Upset My Home", and "Another Woman's Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the 1983 album of re-recorded hits I'm a Lady – The Old, New & Best Of Mary Wells along with several bonus tracks. An early 80s comeback set from Mary Wells – put together with a mix of newer tracks and remade older classics – as you might guess from the title! Production is by Wayne Henderson, with a relatively contemporary feel – a style that has plenty of 80s mainstream soul touches at times, particularly on the catchier numbers – but with more than enough room for Wells to still hang in there vocally, although with a somewhat more mature vocal style than in earlier years. Titles include "My Guy", "Two Lovers", "You Beat Me To The Punch", "Oh Little Boy What Did You Do To Me", "Bye Bye Baby", "You Lost The Sweetest Boy", "Old Love Let's Try It Again", and "What Love Has Joined Together". CD

Completely wonderful music from the great Bill Withers – a set that's overflowing with 70s soul classics, all delivered in that wonderful vocal style that made Bill one of the most unique singers of his time – mixed with the acoustic touches of his early years, and the well-produced sound of his late 70s tracks! Although issued on Columbia, the set also features work from Withers' first few records on the Sussex label – a great blend of music that includes his key appearance on the cut "Just The Two Of Us" – plus "Lovely Day", "Soul Shadows", "Lean On Me", "I Want To Spend The Night", "Who Is He And What Is He To You", "Hello Like Before", "Grandma's Hands", "Ain't No Sunshine", and "Use Me". CD

An amazing legacy in soul music – the legendary run of records that Bill Withers cut for the Sussex and Columbia labels – each of them a masterpiece in their own way! The early hit sound of Withers is the stuff that dreams are made of – a unique blend of acoustic instrumentation, raspy soul, and slinky rhythms – heard to best effect on the first four albums in the set – one of which is Bill's legendary live set at Carnegie Hall! Yet even past those classics, Withers is still amazing – and shifts his sound through the course of the 70s, to bring in warmer, jazzier elements too – yet all without ever losing his keen sense of song, and his completely mindblowing vocal approach. This box features newly remastered versions of 9 albums – Just As I Am, Still Bill, Live At Carnegie Hall, Justments, Making Music, Naked & Warm, Menagerie, Bout Love, and Watching You Watching Me – a legacy in soul music that few others could ever hope to top! CD

One of the most important indie labels of the postwar years – heard here in a flurry of great tracks that really show them at their finest! This excellent double-length set brings together magical moments from a time when the Flair imprint was really hitting on all burners – recording key vocal, instrumental, blues, and doo wop tracks that would go onto have a huge impact on generations to come – mixed here with a host of titles that haven't been on CD before! The package digs deeper than any look at Flair we've ever seen – and that's saying a lot, given that Ace Records was already giving the label their due a few decades before – and all the new material sits strongly next to classics that make the 50 track collection one of the best R&B collections from the 78rpm era that we've heard in a long long time. Titles include "She Wants To Rock" and "Getting High" by The Flairs, "Loosely" and "Cuban Get Away" by Ike Turner, "Chop House" by Blinky Allen, "Quit Hangin Around Me" by Saunders King, "Early In The Morning" and "Can't Stop Lovin" by Elmore James, "Hello Baby" and "Baby Beat It" by Big Duke, "Midnight Hours Journey" by Johnny Ace, "Night Howler" by Billy Gale, "You Better Hold Me" by James Reed, "I've Got The Feeling" by Baby Parham, "This Time It's Real" by Ricky & Jennell, "Send Him Back" by Shirley Gunter, "An Angel Cried" by Anna Marie, "Blue Mambo" by Bobby Rey, and "Love Me Love Me Love Me" by The Chimes. CD

A fantastic collection of rare funky nuggets – put together by the folks at the Numero Group, and an album that's billed as "the only funk album you'll ever need"! That might be a big claim, but the record is pretty darn great – a set that features a few older underground classics, plus a number of cuts we haven't heard before – all brought together from the farther reaches of the Numero universe, into one fantastically funky set! Instrumentals sit nicely next to vocal tracks – and the whole thing is filled with heavy drums, riffing guitars, and other great elements – all chosen by the sorts of folks who really know their thing. Titles include "Corruption Is The Thing" by Creations Unlimited, Slow Burner" by Swithold, "Human Race" by Human Race, "First Thing I Do In The Morning" by Joyce Williams, "Soul & Sunshine" by Harvey & The Phenomenals, "The Vibration" by Sonny Harris, "Jungle" by The Young Senators, "Ghet-To Funk" by Doralcha, "So Dam Funky" by Hot Chocolate, "Akiwana" by Village Callers, and "Iron Leg" by Mickey & The Soul Generation. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Mid 60s magic from a record label that only lasted a few short years – yet one that's gone on to have as much prominence for real soul collectors as the music of Atlantic and Motown! Loma Records was a small offshoot of Warner Brothers on the west coast – yet one that worked far from the hit territory of its parent company, and instead captured all these wonderful groups and singers who might never have gotten exposure otherwise – a few of whom would go on to record later for bigger labels, but most of whom lost the chance for fame once Loma closed its doors! The quality of the music here is incredible – really top-shelf productions, at a level that rivals some of the best Detroit studios of the time, mixed with some of the cool class of Chicago soul as well – served up in a style that works equally well for vocal groups and solo singers. And while Loma recorded some deep soul cuts during this period, this set focuses on the more upbeat numbers – as you'd guess from the "Northern" in the title – served up in a collection that not only features rare singles, but also a few unissued tracks too! CD set features 25 tracks in all – and include "Mean It Baby" by Carl Hall, "You Can't Outsmart A Woman" by Kell Osborne, "I'm Getting Weaker" by The Soul Shakers, "My Heart Needs A Break" by Linda Jones, "Bright Lights" by Delilah Kennebreuw, "Runnin Around" by Tony Amaro & The Chariots, "Baby Don't Look Down" by Billy Storm, "The Big Jerk (part 1)" by Clyde & Teh Blue Jays, "Better Think Of What You're Losing" by Tommy Starr, "The Man With The Golden Touch" by Charles Thomas, "Got A Thing Goin" by The Invincibles, "It's Your Love That I Need" by The Marvellos, "Just A Little Longer" by The Enchanters, "I'll Find A Way" by Bobby Reed, "Go For Yourself" by Larry Lester, "See The Silver Moon" by The Apollas, "Lies" by Bobby Freeman, and "If You Should See Her" by Ben Aiken. CD

A lost album from 70s funk diva Betty Davis – and one that's every bit as essential as her music released back in the day! The set was recorded hot on the heels of Betty's classic Nasty Gal album – but it's got a groove that's almost more in the territory of her first two records on the Just Sunshine label – very hard, heavy, freaky, and fuzzy – with lots of sharp-edged guitar licks wrapped up around Davis' badass vocals – which have just as much attitude as ever! It's not clear why the album never saw the light of day back in the 70s, but it's an essential follow-up to Davis key classics – undeniably funky music by one of the most unique figures ever in soul – the kind of set that would have been a bomb, had it dropped in the 70s – and which will have an even greater impact when let loose in the 21st Century. Titles include "Stars Starve You Know", "Bottom Of The Barrel", "Crashin From Passion", "Whorey Angel", "It's So Good", "Is It Love Or Desire", "Bar Hoppin", and "Let's Get Personal". CD

A lost album from 70s funk diva Betty Davis – and one that's every bit as essential as her music released back in the day! The set was recorded hot on the heels of Betty's classic Nasty Gal album – but it's got a groove that's almost more in the territory of her first two records on the Just Sunshine label – very hard, heavy, freaky, and fuzzy – with lots of sharp-edged guitar licks wrapped up around Davis' badass vocals – which have just as much attitude as ever! It's not clear why the album never saw the light of day back in the 70s, but it's an essential follow-up to Davis key classics – undeniably funky music by one of the most unique figures ever in soul – the kind of set that would have been a bomb, had it dropped in the 70s – and which will have an even greater impact when let loose in the 21st Century. Titles include "Stars Starve You Know", "Bottom Of The Barrel", "Crashin From Passion", "Whorey Angel", "It's So Good", "Is It Love Or Desire", "Bar Hoppin", and "Let's Get Personal". CD

A lost album from 70s funk diva Betty Davis – and one that's every bit as essential as her music released back in the day! The set was recorded hot on the heels of Betty's classic Nasty Gal album – but it's got a groove that's almost more in the territory of her first two records on the Just Sunshine label – very hard, heavy, freaky, and fuzzy – with lots of sharp-edged guitar licks wrapped up around Davis' badass vocals – which have just as much attitude as ever! It's not clear why the album never saw the light of day back in the 70s, but it's an essential follow-up to Davis key classics – undeniably funky music by one of the most unique figures ever in soul – the kind of set that would have been a bomb, had it dropped in the 70s – and which will have an even greater impact when let loose in the 21st Century. Titles include "Stars Starve You Know", "Bottom Of The Barrel", "Crashin From Passion", "Whorey Angel", "It's So Good", "Is It Love Or Desire", "Bar Hoppin", and "Let's Get Personal". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost album from 70s funk diva Betty Davis – and one that's every bit as essential as her music released back in the day! The set was recorded hot on the heels of Betty's classic Nasty Gal album – but it's got a groove that's almost more in the territory of her first two records on the Just Sunshine label – very hard, heavy, freaky, and fuzzy – with lots of sharp-edged guitar licks wrapped up around Davis' badass vocals – which have just as much attitude as ever! It's not clear why the album never saw the light of day back in the 70s, but it's an essential follow-up to Davis key classics – undeniably funky music by one of the most unique figures ever in soul – the kind of set that would have been a bomb, had it dropped in the 70s – and which will have an even greater impact when let loose in the 21st Century. Titles include "Stars Starve You Know", "Bottom Of The Barrel", "Crashin From Passion", "Whorey Angel", "It's So Good", "Is It Love Or Desire", "Bar Hoppin", and "Let's Get Personal". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost album from 70s funk diva Betty Davis – and one that's every bit as essential as her music released back in the day! The set was recorded hot on the heels of Betty's classic Nasty Gal album – but it's got a groove that's almost more in the territory of her first two records on the Just Sunshine label – very hard, heavy, freaky, and fuzzy – with lots of sharp-edged guitar licks wrapped up around Davis' badass vocals – which have just as much attitude as ever! It's not clear why the album never saw the light of day back in the 70s, but it's an essential follow-up to Davis key classics – undeniably funky music by one of the most unique figures ever in soul – the kind of set that would have been a bomb, had it dropped in the 70s – and which will have an even greater impact when let loose in the 21st Century. Titles include "Stars Starve You Know", "Bottom Of The Barrel", "Crashin From Passion", "Whorey Angel", "It's So Good", "Is It Love Or Desire", "Bar Hoppin", and "Let's Get Personal". LP, Vinyl record album

Nasty nasty funk from the great Bo Diddley – one of his rare funky 70s classics for Chess – produced by Johnny Otis with a really tripped-out groove! The album's got an edge that seems to go even farther than some of Bo's other Chess work at the time – and picks up the full-on Otis funky mode by leaning hard on the drums, pulling up the bass, and bringing in a trio of female lovelies to back up Bo on vocals! Gloria Scott's one of the vocalists on the album, and Shuggie Otis even joins in on the funky party with some sweet guitar! But even with all this help, Bo's still the star of the story – and his massive chugging approach to guitar is moving full steam ahead on the set – really ripping a groove through a great batch of original tracks that include "Take It All Off", "I've Had It Hard", "Good Thing", "Bad Trip", "Infatuation", "Bo Diddley-Itis", "Woman", and "Look At Grandma". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

New Orleans soul classics from the legendary Ernie K Doe – an artist who helped the city's scene bridge the gap between earlier boogie modes and later funk to come! All these cuts have a chunky vibe that comes from heavy piano on the rhythms – triplets that spin out wonderfully, and ground the grooves in the deeper side of the spectrum – while Ernie delivers his vocals in a style that's raspy, but also nicely loping – with a much rhythmic power as the instrumentation. Volume 2 includes sides from early Minit singles, with titles the include "Certain Girl", "Real Man", "Easier Said Than Done", "Loving You", "Beatin' Like A Tom Tom", "I Cried My Last Tear", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A record that shows a very different side of Dr John than you might know from the trippy classics of his early years at Atlantic Records – as the set's all instrumental, but with the doctor focusing on an older tradition of New Orleans piano! The quality of the record is amazing – all solo, with no other instrumentation at all – and honestly, were it not for the setting, you might never know what a hell of a pianist Dr John can be – as his work on the keys is sometimes hidden amidst larger arrangements and placed next to his vocals. Many tunes are originals, and titles include "New Island Midnight", "Saints", "Honey Dripper", "Big Mac", "Memories Of Professor Longhair", "Mac's Boogie", and "Delicado". New version features bonus tracks – six more tracks added to the original album! LP, Vinyl record album

A record that shows a very different side of Dr John than you might know from the trippy classics of his early years at Atlantic Records – as the set's all instrumental, but with the doctor focusing on an older tradition of New Orleans piano! The quality of the record is amazing – all solo, with no other instrumentation at all – and honestly, were it not for the setting, you might never know what a hell of a pianist Dr John can be – as his work on the keys is sometimes hidden amidst larger arrangements and placed next to his vocals. Many tunes are originals, and titles include "New Island Midnight", "Saints", "Honey Dripper", "Big Mac", "Memories Of Professor Longhair", "Mac's Boogie", and "Delicado". New version features bonus tracks – six more tracks added to the original album! CD

The best record in years – maybe decades – from the legendary Dr John – and a set that stands up strongly next to the messed-up Crescent City vibe of his 70s classics! Big thanks are due to Black Keys' guitarist Dan Auerbach – who produced and supervised the whole recording – and helped create the kind of rootsy studio proceedings that make for just the right vibe to help the Doctor hit all his best classic modes! Leon Michels brings in some great keyboards, too – and an undercurrent of El Michels funk – and Dr John's vocals really sparkle in the setting – stepping out with all the weird raspy elements we love so much. Titles include "Ice Age", "Getaway", "Kingdom Of Izzness", "You Lie", "Eleggua", "My Children My Angels", "Locked Down", and "Big Shot". CD

Two Capitol classics from the great Gene Dunlap – back to back on a single CD! First up is It's Just The Way I Feel – a classic soulful fusion album recorded and released during the crucial years of the "Capitol Rare" sound! Gene Dunlap is a jazz drummer at heart – but he's got a flair for the modern soul song – and in the same style as Norman Connors or Harvey Mason before him, he manages to put together a strong record of grooves and ballads from behind the kit! The strongest point of the record is work by The Ridgeways, a female soul trio who sing on the best tracks, giving them a smooth Jones Girls-ish kind of sound. The album includes two modern soul classics – "Before You Break My Heart" and "It's Just the Way I Feel" – plus "Love Dancin", "Rock Radio", "I Got You", and "Surest Things Can Change". Party In Me is wonderful work from Gene Dunlap – a jazzy soul drummer, and also a maestro with a killer ear for a modern soul groove! The album's got a mix of grooves and sophistication that are a bit like the best early 80s material from Roy Ayers – never chartbound, and never too commercial – but nice and tight, and really well put together! The instrumentation has plenty of jazzy 80s groove touches – especially in the keyboards – and Dunlap does a nice job of balancing up beat tracks with the mellow moments we love so much in his work. Vocals are from a variety of singers – including the great Ethel Beatty, who'd sung with Roy Ayers – plus Phillippe Wynne, Pam Lawson, and Gene himself – and titles include "Something Inside My Head", "Something Special", "Corner Pocket", "There Will Never Be Another (Like You)", "Party In Me", "Jam City", and "This One's On Me". CD

Excellent 70s soul from the great Ronnie Dyson – first famous as a singer in the original cast of Hair, but later a soul star in his own right, with a few massive hits that brought him big fame! The arrangements here are by Thom Bell, who gives Ronnie's vocals a fragile quality that works wonders, and by Jimmy Wisner, who hits a little bit more of a deep approach with Ronnie – and the tunes on the set are a strong example of the more sophisticated styles of east coast production during the 70s. Includes Ronnie's big hit "One Man Band", plus "I Don't Wanna Cry", "When You Get Right Down To It", "A Wednesday In Your Garden", "The Love Of A Woman", "Girl Don't Come", "Don't Be Afraid", "Fever", "Make It With You", "(If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can't I Touch You", "Give In To Love", "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely", and "A Touch Of Baby". CD

A great bit of southern funk from the 70s – upbeat, grooving, and with a really righteous sound! "People" is one of those cuts that just grabs you right away – a unique-sounding tune that's all the way out there – tightly riffing instrumentation topped with some slightly raspy vocals – all with an offbeat charm that almost reminds us of the first time we heard the 70s classics by Milton Wright! "Gregory Moore" is great too – a bit more laidback, and almost with the same horn patterns as the first track, but slower. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Wonderfully groovy soul from The Entertainers – a group who's recording here strongly for the beach music scene in the Carolinas, but who have an appeal that's much more universal! The tunes are mostly in an upbeat, midtempo mode – with a gentle bounce and a nice sort of step in the rhythms – that sweet groove that shows up in the best beach music classics – and which The Entertainers really have a lock on for this set! But there's also a warmer, more seductive feel going on too – a groove that fits in nicely with some of the early 80s modern soul work of the indie underground – and which helps get this album past any overdone cliches you might expect from the Carolinas – especially on some of the numbers that have a nicely compressed, almost poppish approach to the vocals. There's a depth here that makes the record way more than just a bunch of simple steppers for the dancefloor – and titles include "Hot On A Thang", "Pour Your Little Heart Out", "It's Not What You Got", "I'm Leavin", "In This Moment", "I Won't Cry Anymore", "What Are We Gonna Do", "Livin For The Summer", "Kidnapper", and "I'm In Love With You". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully groovy soul from The Entertainers – a group who's recording here strongly for the beach music scene in the Carolinas, but who have an appeal that's much more universal! The tunes are mostly in an upbeat, midtempo mode – with a gentle bounce and a nice sort of step in the rhythms – that sweet groove that shows up in the best beach music classics – and which The Entertainers really have a lock on for this set! But there's also a warmer, more seductive feel going on too – a groove that fits in nicely with some of the early 80s modern soul work of the indie underground – and which helps get this album past any overdone cliches you might expect from the Carolinas – especially on some of the numbers that have a nicely compressed, almost poppish approach to the vocals. There's a depth here that makes the record way more than just a bunch of simple steppers for the dancefloor – and titles include "Hot On A Thang", "Pour Your Little Heart Out", "It's Not What You Got", "I'm Leavin", "In This Moment", "I Won't Cry Anymore", "What Are We Gonna Do", "Livin For The Summer", "Kidnapper", and "I'm In Love With You". CD

A trio of funky classics from Faze-O – collected here with bonus tracks too! First up is their debut, Riding High – a spacey soul classic – with a sound that never gets old! Faze-O will be forever remembered for their massive cut "Riding High", the leadoff on this album – a stretched out slow funk jam that has amazing keyboards, floating guitars, and a super-dope groove that's stayed fresh from the moment it was first set to wax back in 1977! This album's the group's first, and best – and it's a really wonderful record that blends together funky fusion and heavy soul – filled with killer cuts arranged by the Ohio Players, and with lots of great keyboards by the group! Includes, of course, the massive cut "Riding High" – plus "Toe Jam" and "Funky Reputation"! The second album is a definite Good Thang from Faze-O – easily the masters of snakey funk at the end of the 70s! The set's got loads of great elements that echo the group's Riding High debut – a groove that never goes too far over the top, and which kicks back at a pace that so many others would copy a few years later – a vibe that's a bit Ohio, a bit Cali, yet crafted here with a vision that's totally unique to the band! Horns are a bit heavier than before, but there's still plenty of great keyboards too – and the vocals definitely recognize that they're the second star of the record, and usually defer to the rhythms on most numbers. Tracks include "Good Thang", "Party Time", "Space People", "Who Loves You", and "Funky Lady". Breakin The Funk is wicked funk from Faze-O – a group who seem even tighter than before on this smoking album – yet still hold onto all the laidback modes that made them so great in the first place! There's a lean quality here that really prefaces the direction so many funk acts would take a few years later – a way of compressing everything down on the rhythm, to get past some of the excesses of too-large funk groups, or some of the overblown qualities of the disco generation! Faze-O were definitely out front with this approach, and continue to craft it strongly here – and the album's got a few great mellow tracks too – a great illustration of the claim made in the liner notes – that "Faze-O music is carefully built in panels of melodic phases, to sensuously put you in a funky but heavenly mood of time and rhythm." Titles include "See You Through The Night", "I'm Thankful", "I Still Love You", "Let's Rock", and "Ya Ba Da Ba Duzie". Features bonus tracks – 7" single mixes of "Riding High", "Breakin The Funk", "Good Thang", and "Who Loves You". CD

A really well-chosen set of classic Afro Funk records from Fela Kuti – hand-picked by Idris Elba, and brought together in this limited box set! Open & Close is an early classic from Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – the kind of early 70s record that helped both the leader and the group establish themselves as a global powerhouse of funk and soul! The set begins with the side-long "Open & Close" – a righteous tune that's driven onward by lots of tight drums from Tony Allen – young, focused, and completely amazing here – while Fela delivers all these madly leaping electric piano lines amidst the super-sharp horn section – all moving instrumentally for many minutes before the vocals come into play! Side two features two shorter tracks, but still nice and long in comparison to most funky groups – the wonderful "Swegbe & Pako" and "Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo" – tunes that really send the record over the top! Fela teams up with vibist Roy Ayers on Music Of Many Colors – one of the best soul collaborations ever – a whopping album that brings together the best sides of these monster soul talents of the 70s! In keeping with Fela's work, the tracks are long and Afro-tinged, with a complicated groove that grows over the length of the track. And in keeping with Roy's work, the album has a sweet soulful feel, with lots of nice jazzy touches, cool vibes, and great vocals by Roy. Two long tracks, both classics: "2000 Black" and "Africa, Center of the World". Opposite People is seminal work from one of Fela's most crucial periods – recorded at a time when his soul was the deepest! The album features 2 long tracks – "Opposite People" and "Equalisation Of Trouser & Pant" – and they both have beautiful spooky keyboards in the instrumental passages, then leap into hard soul vocals by Fela. Tremendous stuff – done in a style that shows that no matter how many people cop or remake Fela's sound, he's still the best one to do it! The rare Stalemate album features the side-long tracks "Stalemate" and "Don't Worry About My Mouth" – both really hard-driving numbers, with a fantastic mix of vocals and grooves! Live In Amsterdam is an excellent live set from Fela – one that shows that he was still very capable of going over the top during the 80s! The set's a double LP – and it features 4 great numbers by the group, with Fela on soprano sax, piano, and organ, and plenty of other great work on tenor, alto, and trumpet. Titles include "Gimme Shit I Give You Shit", "Custom Check Point", "Movement Of The People", and "Political Statement Number 1". I Go Shout Plenty is a great one from Fela – with a date of 1986, but a sound that's pure late 70s! The record features 2 long tracks – "I Go Shout Plenty" and "Why Black Man Dey Suffer" – and they're both hard groovers with a strong political feel. "Why Black Man" is especially nice, and has some great keyboard riffing in the middle, with that great tinny sound that you'll hear on the best Fela albums. One that we almost never see – and issued on the Decca subsidiary Afrodisia. (Global Grooves, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best soul collaborations ever! Fela and Roy Ayers team up for this whopping album that brings together the best sides of these monster soul talents of the 70s! In keeping with Fela's work, the tracks are long and Afro-tinged, with a complicated groove that grows over the length of the track. And in keeping with Roy's work, the album has a sweet soulful feel, with lots of nice jazzy touches, cool vibes, and great vocals by Roy. Two long tracks, both classics: "2000 Black" and "Africa, Center of the World". Long overdue! (Global Grooves, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of Aretha Franklin's undisputed classics from her late 60s run on Atlantic Records – a seminal session that furthered her deep soul agenda with key backings from Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd – both of whom handle the mix of rawness and polish that made Aretha so great at the time! The Sweet Inspirations provide sublime backing vocals behind Franklin's maturing delivery of the lyrics – and the music is by an all-star group of players that includes Spooner Oldham, Bobby Womack, Jimmy Johnson, King Curtis, Tommy Cogbill, Roger Hawkins, and even Eric Clapton – clearly the cream of the crop, more than willing to be part of such an amazing set! Cuts include "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman", "Chain Of Fools", "Money Won't Change You", "Come Back Baby", and "Ain't No Way". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Aretha Franklin's undisputed classics from her late 60s run on Atlantic Records – a seminal session that furthered her deep soul agenda with key backings from Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd – both of whom handle the mix of rawness and polish that made Aretha so great at the time! The Sweet Inspirations provide sublime backing vocals behind Franklin's maturing delivery of the lyrics – and the music is by an all-star group of players that includes Spooner Oldham, Bobby Womack, Jimmy Johnson, King Curtis, Tommy Cogbill, Roger Hawkins, and even Eric Clapton – clearly the cream of the crop, more than willing to be part of such an amazing set! Cuts include "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman", "Chain Of Fools", "Money Won't Change You", "Come Back Baby", and "Ain't No Way". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Aretha Franklin's undisputed classics from her late 60s run on Atlantic Records – a seminal session that furthered her deep soul agenda with key backings from Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd – both of whom handle the mix of rawness and polish that made Aretha so great at the time! The Sweet Inspirations provide sublime backing vocals behind Franklin's maturing delivery of the lyrics – and the music is by an all-star group of players that includes Spooner Oldham, Bobby Womack, Jimmy Johnson, King Curtis, Tommy Cogbill, Roger Hawkins, and even Eric Clapton – clearly the cream of the crop, more than willing to be part of such an amazing set! Cuts include "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman", "Chain Of Fools", "Money Won't Change You", "Come Back Baby", and "Ain't No Way". CD includes the bonus tracks "Chain of Fools (unedited version)", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (mono single version)", "Since You've Never Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby) (mono single version)", and "Ain't No Way (mono single version)"! CD

The title's certainly right on this one, because the album is soft and beautiful – recorded by Aretha Franklin in a moody late nite mode that's similar to early 60s work by Sarah Vaughn or Dinah Washington on Roulette! Backings are by Belford Hendricks – relatively full, with strings and sometimes a bit of backing vocals – and Aretha's vocals drift nicely over the top with a relatively slow pace overall. And while this isn't the hard-hitting Atlantic soul that made her fame, the record's still a great demonstration of Franklin's many talents – and heck, if she'd cut a set like this these days, we're sure she'd get a Grammy for returning to the classics! Titles include "Only The Lonely", "Shangri-La", "A Mother's Love", "Jim", "Friendly Persuasion", and "People". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the darkest records to ever come out of the Detroit soul scene! As you might guess from the title, the album is Funkadelic's first – and it's a swirling mass of psychedelic guitars, echoey drums, and bass-heavy riffing, all topped off by the band's harmony vocals, which sound like a perversion of the deep-Motown styles of groups like The Temptations or Undisputed Truth – taken into even headier territory! The original 5-member version of the group includes Eddie Hazel, Mickey Atkins, Tawl Ross, Bill Nelson, and Tiki Fulwood – all working here with some mindblowing George Clinton production! Tracks include classics like "I Bet You", "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic", "Music for My Mother", and "What Is Soul" – and the album's the stuff that made these guys a legend right out of the box! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the darkest records to ever come out of the Detroit soul scene! As you might guess from the title, the album is Funkadelic's first – and it's a swirling mass of psychedelic guitars, echoey drums, and bass-heavy riffing, all topped off by the band's harmony vocals, which sound like a perversion of the deep-Motown styles of groups like The Temptations or Undisputed Truth – taken into even headier territory! The original 5-member version of the group includes Eddie Hazel, Mickey Atkins, Tawl Ross, Bill Nelson, and Tiki Fulwood – all working here with some mindblowing George Clinton production! Tracks include classics like "I Bet You", "Mommy, What's a Funkadelic", "Music for My Mother", and "What Is Soul" – and the album's the stuff that made these guys a legend right out of the box! This hugely expanded version features 7 bonus tracks that include alternate 45 versions and non-LP cuts from the time. Titles include "Music For My Mother (instrumental)", "I'll Be You", "Can't Shake It Loose", "As Good As I Can Feel", and "Open Our Eyes". CD

A sweet set from the early years of the UK funk scene – the smoking debut from Hi Tension, and a set that's filled with sharp numbers throughout! There's a strong jazzy undercurrent to the music – a bit like some of the sounds you might hear from the Fantasy Records scene – no surprise, since those records were always huge on the British scene – and quite possibly had an influence on the direction of Hi Tension here – with tight rhythms on the bottom, complicated jazzy changes on the instrumentation, and some tight horn parts that really soar along strongly with the vocals! Lyrics are mostly presented in an ensemble mode – produced warmly, with almost an Earth Wind & Fire mode – and the album was put together by Kofi Ayivor of Osibisa, with a slight touch of Afro funk in the mix. Tracks include the classics "Hi Tension" and "British Hustle" – plus "Autumn Love", "You're My Girl", "Power & Lightning", "Peace On Earth", and "Unspoken". LP, Vinyl record album

An 80s groove classic – and a killer bit of Captiol Records soul from High fashion! Of all US major labels, Capitol was probably putting out the best soul in the early 80s – and this is a tight modern batch of up-tempo tracks, right up there with other contemporary classics on the label, like work by BB&Q Band, Taste Of Honey, and TS Monk! The tunes all manage to have a great groove without sounding cheesy – thanks to some nice jazzy touches in the arrangements, good hooks in the songs, and some great soulful vocals. Very, very nice – and nearly every cut's a winner! Tracks include "Feelin Lucky Lately", "Next To You", "Hold On", "When The Lover Strikes", "I Want To Be Your Everything", and "You're the Winner". LP, Vinyl record album

2 blues classics from the great Howlin Wolf – back to back on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Howlin Wolf – a record that has Wolf tightening it up a bit from his earliest years at Chess, and moving into a groove that would forever make him one of the key artists to record for the label! The raspy, rootsy feel of earlier years is still in place – but the recording quality's a bit better, and the tunes have a more unified feel – thanks partly to some classic compositions from Willie Dixon, whose work makes up a very big part of the album! Tunes were recorded between the years 1959 to 1962, and brought together for the record – and titles include "Shake For Me", "Spoonful", "Going Down Slow", "Down In The Bottom", "Wang Dang Doodle", "Red Rooster", and "Tell Me". On Moanin In The Moonlight, a set filled with raspy vocals, Wolf sings in a way that definitely lives up to his nickname! The sound here is spare and stripped down, with very little accompaniment – usually just a bit of guitar, piano, bass, and drums – and sometimes not even all that much! Wolf's vocals are wonderful throughout – archetypal, but not nearly as cliched as some of his contemporaries came to sound – with a timeless feel that really holds up throughout. Titles include "Smokestack Lightnin", "No Place To Go", "All Night Boogie", "Evil", "I Asked For Water", "Forty Four", and "Somebody In My Home". (Blues, Soul) CD

The greatest moment ever from the legendary Bobbi Humphrey – a funky, soulful flute player who had more than her share of great moments over the years! This set may well be the summation of all the genius that Humphrey had to offer – a collaboration with genius producer Larry Mizell, at a level that matches is Blue Note classics with Donald Byrd, or the Music Is My Sanctuary album with Gary Bartz – a groundbreaking blend of jazz instrumentation and studio technique! The sound is never smooth, nor commercial – and instead, Bobbie's flute and vocals soar out majestically on these long tracks with building keyboard lines, subtle chorus parts, and touches of bass that really transform the rhythms past conventional soul fusion of the period. Every track is a winner – purely fantastic stuff – and classics include "Chicago Damn", "Jasper Country Man", and the genius "Harlem River Drive". (Jazz, Soul) CD

The greatest moment ever from the legendary Bobbi Humphrey – a funky, soulful flute player who had more than her share of great moments over the years! This set may well be the summation of all the genius that Humphrey had to offer – a collaboration with genius producer Larry Mizell, at a level that matches his Blue Note classics with Donald Byrd, or the Music Is My Sanctuary album with Gary Bartz – a groundbreaking blend of jazz instrumentation and studio technique! The sound is never smooth, nor commercial – and instead, Bobbie's flute and vocals soar out majestically on these long tracks with building keyboard lines, subtle chorus parts, and touches of bass that really transform the rhythms past conventional soul fusion of the period. Every track is a winner – purely fantastic stuff – and classics include "Chicago Damn", "Jasper Country Man", and the genius "Harlem River Drive". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

The greatest moment ever from the legendary Bobbi Humphrey – a funky, soulful flute player who had more than her share of great moments over the years! This set may well be the summation of all the genius that Humphrey had to offer – a collaboration with genius producer Larry Mizell, at a level that matches is Blue Note classics with Donald Byrd, or the Music Is My Sanctuary album with Gary Bartz – a groundbreaking blend of jazz instrumentation and studio technique! The sound is never smooth, nor commercial – and instead, Bobbie's flute and vocals soar out majestically on these long tracks with building keyboard lines, subtle chorus parts, and touches of bass that really transform the rhythms past conventional soul fusion of the period. Every track is a winner – purely fantastic stuff – and classics include "Chicago Damn", "Jasper Country Man", and the genius "Harlem River Drive". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of Isleys classics, making their debut on SACD! Heat Is On features a great mix of heavy funk and sweeter ballads from the Isley Brothers – and a record that's filled with two-part tracks that really let them stretch out and groove! The tunes have a bit more bass and keyboards than before – an approach that's even more electric than Isley funk of a few years back, and which steps out in some tightly vamping rhythms that still crackle with plenty of warmth and soul – especially on the mellower numbers, which dominate side two of the record, and really make this one worth having! Mellow tracks include "For The Love Of You (parts 1 & 2)", "Sensuality (parts 1 & 2)", and "Make Me Say It Again (parts 1 & 2)" – and funkier numbers include "Fight The Power (parts 1 & 2)", "The Heat Is On (parts 1 & 2)", and "Hope You Feel Better Love (parts 1 & 2)". Harvest For The World is fantastic Isleys from the mid-70s! The record has the group dropping their heavy funk style (which was sounding a bit tired by this point), and picking up a strident soul groove that buoyed their tracks with a spiritual sound that reminds us of some of the best moments from the Brother Brother Brother album! This one includes the incredible song "Harvest For The World", one of the most anthemic soul songs of the 70s – and a monster groover that mixes message-driven vocals with some tight guitar work. Other tracks include "You Still Feel the Need", "Let Me Down Easy", and "People of Today" – and the whole album's one of the group's best from the 70s! CD

Heavy funk from the great Etta James – one of her standout classics from the later Chess years, done with a style that's completely different than her work of the 60s! The set was recorded in LA with a super-dope sound that's almost in a funky soundtrack mode – full horns, bits of strings, wah wah guitar, and a core tight rhythm combo that features keyboards from William D Smith, percussion from King Errison, and lots of stepping bass from Chuck Rainey! And while funky, the style isn't as rough and ready as some of the other Chess funky blues from the late 60s Chicago years – showing instead a bit more of a soul influence in the mix, at a level that Etta matches beautifully with her vocals. Titles include "All The Way Down", "Only A Fool", "Down So Low", "Lay Back Daddy", "Just One More Day", and a version of "Leave Your Hat On" with a great funky keyboard break! LP, Vinyl record album

Rootsy blues from the brief stretch when Prestige Records was experimenting with non-jazz material – a back-to-basics session that features Johnson on electric guitar and vocals, Snowden on acoustic guitar, and only Wendell Marshall's jazz-trained bass to back the pair up. The work's in a style that's rootsier than the mainstream – almost an imagined past for this sort of blues, and one that was more aimed at the college and folksy crowd of the time than anyone else. Titles include "Savoy Blues", "I'll Get Along Somehow", "Haunted House", "Memories Of You", "I Found A Dream", and "Blues For Chris". (Blues, Soul) CD

One of the standout classics from BB King's legendary run at Kent – a classic album with a cool little cover to boot! Arrangements on the set are by Maxwell Davis – who has this great way of bringing out some of the jazzier currents in BB's music – almost the same Memphis blend that Bobby Blue Bland was using at the time – really showing a new level of sophistication added to the blues! BB's guitar and vocals are wonderful – with this bold, youthful power that's free from any cliche or easy modes – and titles include "Beautician Blues", "The Jungle", "5 Long Years", "Eyesight To The Blind", "Blue Shadows", "The Worst Thing In My Life", "Blues Stay Away", "Got Em Bad", and "It's A Mean World". (Blues, Soul) CD

A stellar record from Ben E King – and one of a few early 60s gems that really have him leaving a longstanding mark on soul music! There's a balance here that's unbelievable – a quality that's emotive right from the start, yet also perfectly put together too – with Ben's tremendous vocals backed by some tight Atlantic backings – in a style that's virtually the blueprint for lots more uptown soul singers to come in the 60s. The song choice is impeccable too – numbers from Doc Pomus, Mort Shuman, and Phil Spector which perfectly straddle the lines of soul music at the time – tunes that include classics like "Here Comes The Night", "Don't Play That Song", "Young Boy Blues", and "Stand By Me" – plus lesser-known gems like "Brace Yourself", "I Promise Love", "Yes", "First Taste Of Love", and "Show Me The Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive package of work from the mighty Kool & The Gang – 6 full albums from the 80s, served up here in a 3CD set! First up is Ladies Night – a shameless dancefloor cash-in move – but a record that's still pretty darn great as well! You all know the big title cut "Ladies Night", so we won't bother to describe it – but we can say that the group wisely hooked up with Deodato, who produced, mixed, and even played keyboards on the album. Deodato keeps a nice jazzy punch in the tracks, while still moving towards the slickly produced funk sound that was the group's main approach at the time of the record. JT Taylor's on vocals, and the album's even got a few mellow cuts – like the crossover easy number "Too Hot" – amidst the midtempo 80s grooves that really step out and make the whole thing move. Other tracks include "Ladies Night", "Hangin Out", "Tonight's The Night", "If You Feel Like Dancin", and "Got You Into My Life". The next album is Something Special indeed – as the album was one of the biggest hits for Kool & The Gang, and showed that the group still had plenty of energy left to groove into the 80s! The record features production work by Brazilian music maestro Eumir Deodato – who by this point had become a sweet and smooth talent with a real flair for putting over a modern soul groove! Deodato's approach is really great – smooth, yet soulful, without any tricks or gimmicks – and a real appreciation for lead vocals and a catchy little hook! The album features the group's party classic "Get Down On It", plus "Steppin Out", "No Show", "Pass It On", "Be My Lady", "Take My Heart", and "Good Time Tonight". As One is solid 80s grooving from Kool & The Gang – a group who inspired so many others in the early 80s soul generation, but who could still do it better than most of the rest! The style here is tight and smooth, but never too slick – and Deodato's giving the group some really great production for the album – helping them to focus their energy and soar soulfully, but without resorting to any stiff gimmicks or cliches! There's a great groove running through most of the numbers here – a confident quality that's never too commercial, and which bubbles along nicely throughout. Titles include "Street Kids", "Big Fun", "As One", "Hi De Hi Hi De Ho", "Let's Go Dancin", and "Pretty Baby". In The Heart is a sweet set that's part of a big early 80s run from Kool & The Gang – a time that saw the funk legends really hitting the mainstream, and winning over a huge new audience in the process! Given that the Gang virtually invented ensemble funk at the start of the 70s, they're perfectly poised here to move into modes that so many of their younger competition were trying – but never did so well – that blend of 80s elements and more sharply-fused funk instrumentation, all honed down into a tightly snapping groove. The real surprise, though, is the group's growing ability for ballads – which put records like this into hands of folks who never would have dug their funk a few years before. And while we might have had a few problems with that shift at the time, the passage of years has got the whole thing sounding pretty darn great to our ears – especially in comparison to so much weaker work from the time. Titles include "In The Heart", "Joanna", "Tonight", "Straight Ahead", "September Love", "You Can Do It", and "Home Is Where The Heart Is". Last up is Emergency – one of the key classics from the second chapter of the group – when their lineup and sound were a lot leaner than before, and they managed to cross over big to a much wider audience than before! The upbeat cuts show that the group were still kings of the funky dancefloor – and the mellower ones are equally great too – showing a rising ballad style that proved to be the group's big crossover card at the time – a way of putting over a laidback track, but with plenty of soul. This approach is heard to great effect on the album's great single "Cherish" – and other tracks include "Bad Woman", "Surrender", "Emergency", "Misled", "Fresh", and "You Are The One". CD

One of the greatest Kool & The Gang albums ever – a monster live session that almost blows away their studio classics! The groove here is far more freewheeling and complex than some of their singles from the 70s – longer, tripped-out tunes with a definite undercurrent of jazz amidst the funk – loads of wicked horn bits from Ronnie Bell and Dennis Thomas that complicate things up nicely, while still staying soulfully in the groove. There's no vocals at all on the record – which further enforces the Kool Jazz sound of the set – and the album's even harder-hitting than their previous Sex Machine live album, so much so, the PJ's club had to close its doors shortly after the Gang's performance! Titles include the all-time killer sample cut "Duji" – plus "NT", "Ronnie's Groove", "Ricksonata", "Lucky For Me", "Sombrero Sam", and a medley of "Ike's Groove/You've Lost That Lovin Feeling". CD also features a rare bonus cut – "The Penguin" – recorded at the time, but not issued on the original album! Plus, this reissue is even better than the previous one – packaged with a full-color booklet of notes and rare images. CD

Excellent harmony soul – and a nicely priced reissue of some of The Manhattans' early work for the Carnival label! This is about as good as it gets for 60s harmony soul – as the group manages to blend rough vocals into an airtight harmony sound that's impeccable on just about every cut. Includes the group's sublime "Follow Your Heart", plus "Baby I Need You", "That New Girl", "Can I", "Manhattan Stomp", "I'm The One That Love Forget", "Searchin For My Baby", and "Teach Me The Philly Dog". CD

Philly soul classics from The Manhattans – the mid 70s self-titled gem and After Midnight from the dawn of the 80s! The Manhattans album is one of their best of the 70s, and a record that showed that they were firmly out of the indie ghetto, and totally on top of their game! The record features arrangements and production by Bobby Martin and Bert DeCoteaux – bubbling along in that soaring style that you'd recognize best from Philly International albums of the time, but which also has some nice traces of the mellower ballad work that first put the group on the map. Every tune is perfect – the kind of sublime soul that easily explains why a record like this could be found in every single record collection of every single soul listener of the time – and titles include "La La La Wish Upon A Star", "We'll Have Forever To Love", "Take It Or Leave It", "Reasons", "Wonderful World Of Love", "Searching For Love", and the incredible "Kiss & Say Goodbye". Several bonus tracks, too! After Midnight is stellar Manhattans from the start of the 80s – and proof that the group could still hold strong, even at a point when soul music was really changing up around them! The sound is somewhat smoother than before, but never in a throwaway style – and as you might guess from the title, the record's a mostly-mellow affair that really hones in on the great ballad style that the group had perfected during their time at Columbia! The vocals are superb – not nearly as fragile as in the early days, but really still filled with a great sense of warmth and humanity – the group really maturing into a special space of their own. Arrangements are by James Mack, Benjamin Wright, Bert DeCoteux, and others – and titles include the hit "Shining Star", plus "It's Not The Same", "Just As Long As I Have You", "If My Heart Could Speak", "One Life To Life", "The Closer You Are", and "Girl Of My Dream". CD